Judge reportedly had ties to Sandusky

The judge who ordered former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky be freed on $100,000 unsecured bail worked as a volunteer for his charity, The Second Mile, Deadspin reported Sunday.

The report came after separate revelations that Sandusky was continuing to receive hefty pension payouts from the university.

Sandusky, 67, has been charged with 21 felony counts for allegedly abusing eight male minors over a period of 15 years. He denies the charges.

Prosecutors had requested a $500,000 bail for Sandusky and that he be required to wear a leg monitor, but District Judge Leslie Dutchcot ruled he be freed without having to post any money unless he failed to show up for court.

Dutchcot is of counsel to the firm Goodall and Yurchak. Its website centrelaw.com features a profile listing her career achievements, including being named State College Lawyer of the Year in 2005.

It also states that The Second Mile, a non-profit organization founded by Sandusky in the late 1970s to help disadvantaged children, is one of various charities she has volunteered for.

Meanwhile it emerged earlier Sunday that Sandusky continues to receive substantial monthly pension payments from Penn State stemming from a deal reached when he retired, The Patriot-News reported.

Sandusky retired from his assistant coaching position in 1999, but retained coach "emeritus" status and access to Penn State facilities. Upon his retirement, he chose to take a $148,271 lump-sum pension payment from the State Employees' Retirement System, the newspaper reported.

The remainder of his pension is paid out on a monthly basis and totals $58,898 annually.

Former Penn State Vice President Gary Schultz, who has been charged with perjury before the grand jury and failing to report suspected child abuse, retired from his position in 2009 but returned to his Penn State post in September on a temporary basis.

He received a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time of his retirement in 2009 and now reportedly receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558.

Schultz's monthly payments amount to nearly $331,000 a year.

Former athletic director Tim Curley, who was also charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse, did not participate in the state pension system, the report said.

Curley and Schulz both stepped down from their posts when they were indicted. Both maintain their innocence.

The Patriot-News said it had submitted a request for pension information for Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State coach who was fired late Wednesday after criticism that he did not do more in response to allegations made in 2002 against Sandusky.

Former Penn State president Graham Spanier, who was also fired on Wednesday, was not a member of the state pension system, the newspaper said.